Under Bridges
by uncannyinstigator
Summary: Contains HBP spoilers. Not DH compliant. Snape is exiled to the muggle world and left homeless. The adventures that follow lead him through a variety of lifestyles. Contains an OC. Rated T for safety due to mention of drugs. Please read and/or review.
1. Cold and Alone

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. If I did Snape would have a lot more hugs. But Abbie and the other street kids are mine in a sense, even though they are based on friends.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this it is a plot that has stricken me and won't rest. I have stayed up until entirely too late typing it so I could use a beta reader if anybody is interested. It's 3AM so there are probably typos and bad grammar but I thought I should finish something for once. The endings kinda cheesy, but Snape needs some cheesy in his life. Please read and review so I know if you like it.

Chapter One: Cold and Alone

Severus Snape hugged his drenched cloak close to his body, hoping to invoke some sort of warmth. He cursed himself for loosing his wand on the boxcars, but it had been the only means of travel available. After fleeing the tower where he had killed Dumbledore and shirking the Dark Lord, he had used the money he had in his pockets on plane fare to North America. Then the only untraceable means he could find was to jump on a boxcar and now he was merlin-knows-where and soaked from the continual rain.

He had tried to take residence under a bridge, only to be awaken in the early hours of the morning by a sprinkler to the face._ Why on earth did they need sprinklers when it was always raining? _he grumbled lowly to himself, _and why was it so cold when summer was just around the corner?_

He paused in his misery to note his surroundings. He had been subconsciously following a path along the river. He had stopped under a bridge. Severus searched what had drawn him out of his dismal reverie and saw many pairs of eyes gleaming from the reflections of the moon on the water. Assuming there were no sprinklers here he climbed onto the dusty bank and crumpled into a shivering huddle.

He awoke from a restless sleep by his bladder. Groaning he pulled himself to his feet. Dawn was just breaking across the river and the bridge was deserted. only disturbed dust and a few scraps of cloth told him that there had been anything there at all. He wandered off in search of a bathroom.

After wandering all over town and finding no where to relieve himself he returned to the park and found a secluded spot.

"I wouldn't get caught if I were you," A small voice said, "It's a thousand dollars or jail time if you they find you."

Snape spun around looking for the source of the voice. A ragged looking figure was climbing from a clump of bushes with a heavy looking pack on her back. At least Snape assumed it was a girl from the flowing skirt it was wearing. Her hair was matted and her face and cloths were covered in dirt.

"Who do you think you are?" Snape growled, annoyed at being interrupted in such a personal act.

"I'm Abbie," The girl smiled, revealing freckles on her dirty cheeks. She couldn't have been older than nineteen, "And who are you?"

"That's none of your business" he growled and was just about to storm away when he felt his 'need', "So where do you suggest I go?"

"That's tough, not much is open 'til eight o' clock. But I know of a port-a-potty close by." She smiled again. It seemed she was always smiling about something which annoyed Snape. He nodded and the girl took it as a cue, climbing over the railing that separated the landscaping from the path.

"It's really kind of dumb for them to close the bathrooms," the girl rambled on as they walked, "I mean it's not like we don't need to go after five o' clock and if nothing is open we're going to do it anyway."

Snape had been trying to ignore her, but was curious about that last statement, "And who's 'we'?"

"The homeless. You and me"

"I am not homeless!" Snape snarled. _The presumptuous little..._

"Yeah and I bet you live in a penthouse. You just sleep outside to hone your artistic talents."

Snape was silent. He didn't care to talk to this insufferable little brat for much longer. He would use the bathroom and be gone.

"Sorry, that was rude. You hungry?" she asked. "I know a place to get some food, no money required."

It had been a day since he had eaten. Snape groaned inwardly,how long would he be stuck with this girl. "Where is it?"

"I'll show you after you are done with your mission," She said gesturing towards a green cubicle, which Snape guessed was the bathroom that had been promised. It stank and he hurried to get out as quick as he could.

Once done the girl started walking to a bridge. Snape reluctantly followed, his stomach making the choice for him. She must have sensed his annoyance with her as she said not another word until they were outside of a red brick building with a large line leading to a door.

"This is Blanche house," she informed him as they joined the line of older men. Then she seemed to make a decision with herself and looked him straight in his cold black eyes. "Look, I know you don't like me. But there are some facts you should know. I am familiar with my way around this town. I know where you can get cloths, blankets, backpacks, doctors, legal advice, and showers."

"Also I need someone to be around for safety. You know like the buddy system. Keep predators away. It's not safe out here for either of us alone. I can understand if you walk away after we eat and I never see you again. But you'd better find a partner, it just ain't safe out here by yourself. People go missing but aren't missed if you follow me."

Snape was taken aback by her speech. The kid had pluck. He was silent while he thought out his options. He could stay alone and possibly disappear. He could strike out and find another nuisance, probably one more annoying. Or he could stay with this girl until he at least got his bearings.

"Where are we anyway?" he asked, he may as well know the name of this hell-hole.

Abbie grinned as if reading his mind, "Portland. Oregon."


	2. Of Bridges and Backpacks

Chapter Two: Of Bridges and Backpacks

Over the next few weeks, Abbie showed him the hidden portion of the city. At least it seemed hidden as the tourist and residents never seemed to take notice. Snape was used to people not looking him in the eye, but it started it started to get to him when the pedestrians didn't even look him over.

It was as if his shabby cloths and the army surplus bag that he carried set himself and Abbie apart from those with jobs and money. A certain fear seemed to penetrate a commuter train when the two of them got on. It wasn't anything profound, just the subtleties of lack of eye contact and muted conversations.

One time Severus had just been leaving the subway when a man in a fancy coat muttered, "Why don't you get a job?" Just loud enough for everyone to hear. A few folks in the crowd seemed to chuckle, making the man braver.

Severus turned toward the man and asked, "Would you hire me?" In a low aggressive tone.

"Not on your life. Look at you." The man exclaimed.

Severus sneered, "Then who else will?" and left it at that. He noticed as he left, Abbie had been holding the door for him with a big grin on her face. He couldn't help but chuckle.

Backpacks also seemed to make them a target for the local cops. If Abbie stopped to tie her shoe or Severus had to repack his backpack it didn't seem there was a minute to go by with out a cop there to enforce the 'sit-lie ordinance'. Also, sleeping in was impossible. If they weren't awake and packing by six the cops rolled in with there cruisers and megaphones to berate the slow risers. But Abbie often whispered to him "You don't know harassment until you're black. All pigs are racist."

More than once Severus and Abbie had been lined up and asked for identification. When Severus had no ID to show the cops would get all in a stir, until Abbie would point out it wasn't illegal to go outside without papers, "After all," she had once said, "this isn't the gestapo." to which the cops looked reluctant.

Abbie had also showed Severus some of her friends. They seemed a motley bunch. Gabbo was in the motions of getting money for and apartment. He had a wife and a teenage son, who had been 'given' a car and then taken to jail for theft. Severus had met the son. Not to bright but pretty harmless.

A man named Freddy was found once under a bridge. He seemed to be a cultural trekker, though Severus scoffed at him and his ideas about accepting everyone, Abbie was really taken in. Last they heard, Freddy had crossed the bridge to go to 82nd st. Abbie's face darkened at the mention of the name.

"Don't ever go there," She had cautioned once, making Severus feel, aggravatingly, like a child, "Only rape and drugs are to be found there."

Not that they hadn't had their share of drugs. Though they had never sought it out, they were always provided for. Once they were heading to the bathrooms before settling down (there were a pitiful few so you had to plan your trips accordingly) when a voice called from the dark "You guys want a smoke?"

It had turned out to be a guy from Iran out for a vacation in the US. He delighted in the presence of Abbie and the other teenage "hippies" he was with. They all proceeded to get drunk, however, Snape remained sober, as he usually did. He was always very careful, after all he did have the entire wizarding world after him.

One night they had been hanging around with Derrick and his companions, Destroyer and Fawn. These kids were the epitome of the term street punk. Shredded cloths and an army of dogs, their purpose in life seemed to be to get drunk and have fun. Abbie and Severus left them at the height of their stupor to get some sleep before the pig's wake up call.

Severus was awakened in the night by a light a few feet away. Once his eyes adjusted he realized it was a campfire, made by Derrick and his crew. He heard Abbie groan beside him. She whispered, "There's a yacht docked not even ten feet away from that fire. Don't be surprised of we get run out of here tonight. "


	3. The Danger of Night

Chapter Three: The Danger of Night

Severus had sighed in agreement and was just about asleep again when he heard a footstep of in the dark. At first he assumed it was a cop, until he realized cops were too cocky to be sneaking around in the dark. His heart began to thud in his chest and he nudged Abbie to wake her.

He heard a large group of figures running towards him and Severus scrambled to his feet to meet them. "Avada Ked-" a familiar voice yelled. However the large figure had forgotten he could aim from a distance and Severus had managed to wrestle the wand from Wormtail's hand.

Snape waved the wand, wordlessly and a few people swore as their wands were ripped from their hands. The sound of bodies scrabbling in the grass could be heard.

"Petrificus totalus," A voice called from the shadows. Snape was unable to move and barely able to keep on his feet.

"So Severus," that same cold voice drawled as a shadowy figure advanced, "This is what's become of the famous potions master, the half blood prince?"

Severus was trapped. He wanted more than anything to raise his arm. To cast the hex that would kill his old friend Lucius Malfoy. But instead he was forced to listen to his speech. "Buddying around with this filth?"

Lucius gestured towards passed out forms of Derrick and his friends. Severus wasn't paying attention. he was too busy worrying about where Abbie was. He hadn't heard any noise from behind him since the attack. Secretly he prayed she was only stunned, at the least still alive.

"How the mighty have fallen. And to think, you used to be Voldemort's right hand man. _Crucio_."

Severus's body was filled with pain. As the torture subsided he heard a noise to his right. A slight rustle and then the spell was cast again and he lost awareness of his surroundings.

"Take that!" Abbie called and the pain stopped instantly. Lucius screamed and rubbed his eyes, falling to the ground. The body bind spell wore off and Snape managed to stupefy Lucius and the rest of the death eaters before they could react. Some of which had managed to find their wands. Severus collected all the wands he could find, and possibly some sticks, and threw them into the fire. All except Lucius's.

"Obliviate," He said to each prone body.

Abbie looked at him wide-eyed, "What did you do to them?" she asked.

"There's no time now, we must hurry." He performed quick packing charm and they loaded their backpacks.

"What about them?" Abbie asked of their drunken friends laying around the fire.

"They'll be fine," Severus said, but on second thought performed a quick cloaking charm. They took off under the bridge and climbed over the railing onto the path. Severus didn't dare stop until they were following the railroad tracks to the switchyard.

Abbie jumped onto a car at random and Severus was soon behind her. They had just caught their breath when Abbie rattled off as many questions as she could think of on short notice, shouting over the noise of the train.

"What is that stick? What did you do to them? Why were they after you? Did you know them?"

"There will be time for that later," Severus said, but his curiosity got the better of him. "What was that thing you used on Lucius?"

The girl held up a black canister with a key ring dangling from it. "Pepper spray. Never leave home without it."

Severus chuckled, it wasn't like they had a home to leave. But he did feel a loss at the prospect of leaving the first life he had managed to fit in. "Where are we going anyway?"

"Looks like East. Wanna hitch to Wyoming? I hear the job market is good there."

Severus nodded. He wasn't sure where that was but for the first time it felt like he had a family.

Author's Note: Sappy I know. This is a story loosely based on my time in the streets of Portland. Everything happened except for the subway incident and the Death eater attack and the rail riding. Abbie is the girl I wish I was, and I changed the names of people to keep their privacy. Snape seems out of character towards the end because he has found a sort of home.

I just thought I would put out the most accurate portrayal of homelessness i could. It makes me sad to see there isn't much accuracy regarding this lifestyle. There is no such thing as a thief king like Fagan from Oliver Twist. I hope you enjoyed my tale. Please read and review.

Ok I know this is long but if anyone thinks they were mentioned please contact me. I miss y'all. I doubt you'll be reading this but it is worth a try. Thanks.


	4. Traveling

Chapter 4: Traveling

Severus's voice was sore from shouting over the noise of the train. He had finally managed to explain why they had been attacked to Abbie and a little about the wizarding world. They had wrapped themselves in some of their blankets and Abbie had managed to fall asleep despite the cold that still penetrated.

Severus couldn't sleep. He couldn't help wondering whether it was ethical to let Abbie accompany him. The deatheaters had found him once and it was only a matter of time before other dangers from his past caught up to them. He wondered what they would find when the train stopped. The order would also be on the lookout for him. How long could he keep running? Severus chastised himself for being so sympathetic and finally managed to drift off to sleep.

He awoke to the screeching of the trains wheels as they pulled into a station. Abbie leapt to her feet, climbed into her backpack, and bundled the blankets up in her arms.

She led Severus to the door and instructed, "Try to find something soft to land on." With that, she jumped and rolled along the ground next to the tracks. Severus grabbed his pack and jumped from the train. The ground jolted is feet and hidden branches tore at his clothes but he remained unharmed. "Are you okay?" Abbie asked.

"Couldn't be better," Snape snarled. He wished she would stop treating him like a child. "Now where are we?"

Abbie looked a little startled at the harsh tone in his voice. "Well, that's what we gotta find out."

Severus said nothing and began walking towards the area where the train had stopped. Abbie silently joined him. Severus hadn't meant to be so rude, but something was bothering him. He couldn't figure out what it was. "Maybe we should split up," He groaned.

"But how would we find each other later?"

"We wouldn't," Severus snapped. Was she really this dense? He had thought she was a bit more intelligent than this. Couldn't she see he was trying to get rid of her.

"Are you kidding me? The minute I'm not useful anymore?" the girl was really working herself up into a rage, "Do you know what happens to girls left all alone? Haven't you ever seen Dateline? I could be killed, or raped, or locked in a dungeon and forced to sing songs for some weirdo. But don't worry about me. I'm not worth tolerating. I'm not so full of information anymore know that we are in a new region. At least wait until we get into town and I can find another travel companion."

Severus was momentarily speechless. That hadn't been what he was thinking about at all. She might be annoying, but she was oddly endearing. He said nothing. and started walking again. Abbie fell into step and the issue was considered moot until they reached a road leading into a small town. "I didn't meant it, about splitting up." Severus finally said.

"Why did you say it then?"

"Why would you want to bother with me anyway? I thought I was just here for protection."

"Answering a question with a question, are we? I like you. Your like family. Kinda like a father to me. I never knew my father really."

"Let's not start on the 'my past is so horrible' story sharing thing. I don't think I will be able to stand it." Severus couldn't hide his sneer-like smile.

"Why? Because you would know I would win?"

Severus snorted. Just then an old motor home pulled over near them. A woman in her thirties climbed out wearing a flower print dress and waited for them to approach. "Are you folks looking for a ride?" She asked.

"Sure," Abbie answered, "How far are you going?"

"To Colorado."

"That's perfect," Abbie said, even though they had only been heading in a general direction.

As they neared the motor home Severus noticed that the side had flowers painted along it. It was older looking and rather dirty. "I'm Glenda," the woman said.


	5. Easy Ride

Chapter Four: Easy Ride

A delicious smell greeted Severus's sizable nose as he entered the motor home. The yeasty smell of bread was a welcoming aroma. It reminded him how long it had been since he had eaten.

Glenda smiled and secured the door behind them. "This is Roger," she said, gesturing to the man in the driver seat. She indicated a couch that they could sit on and seated herself at the small table. "So where are you from?"

Abbie smiled, struggling out of her bulky backpack, "Where aren't we from? Severus, here, is from England, and I am an orphan of America."

Glenda looked at a loss for words. Severus couldn't blame her. How did Abbie come up with this stuff?

"Are you headed to the Rainbow Gathering?"

"If thats how far your going," Abbie answered cheerfully.

"I hear the cops are searching cars," the previously silent Roger commented, "If you have any contraband, keep it on your person."

Severus wasn't entirely sure what that last sentence meant, but Abbie assured the driver that they were not in possession of contraband.

After that the girls began singing along with the radio. Severus allowed the exhaustion to overtake him and laid back on the couch to really take in his surroundings.

A fresh baked loaf of bread sat in a bowl in the sink. Severus suspected this odd looking arrangement kept the bread from sliding of the counter. The walls of the motor home where covered in several colorful fabrics. Beaded curtains separated the room they were in from a bedroom. The curtains jangled and swayed and didn't conceal much of anything.

In fact, the whole motor home rattled as if it were about to fall apart. Cabinets strained against the small hooks that kept them from flying open. Unknown dishes rattled in the cupboards and Severus felt his exhausted body rocking to sleep. He struggled against his drowsiness and only managed to arouse himself when he heard the conversation turn to his direction.

"Your friend is not much of a talker," Glenda commented.

"He keeps to himself, but he's a good guy," Abbie answered.

Severus's stomach growled it's response. "Do you guys want some bread?" Glenda asked, taking the hint.

"That sounds fantastic."

Glenda busied herself at the small counter, cutting the bread and buttering the pieces and pouring coffee into plastic mugs.

"Here you go," She said as she handed Severus and Abbie each a mug and a plate. Abbie wolfed the bread and gulped the coffee as fast as she could. Severus ate a bit more slowly, but he had to admit it was difficult not to lose his composure.

"Here's Colorado," Roger called from the front seat.

"Yippie," Glenda called and began digging in a drawer. She pulled out a thumbtack and stuck it into a little Colorado on a map on the ceiling. Severus hadn't even noticed the map. It contained all the continents, and Severus's gaze lingered over the location of Hogwarts. It struck him that he would never be able to go back. Even when the war was over, neither side would be glad to see him.

"We better get some rest," Glenda said suddenly, "you just let me know when you want a break, honey"

"Sure thing, dear," the man called.

Glenda showed them how to fold the couch out into a bed and went back into the bedroom. The constant rocking of the motor home lulled Severus into a deep sleep. The motor home was motionless when he next woke up. He peered out the open door to see a parking lot of a large grocery store. Roger approached the vehicle with a bag.

"Mornin'. Anyone else awake?"

"No." Severus answered, with a bit less enthusiasm than Roger.

"Mind ridin' up front with me. Keep me awake."

"I don't have anything better to do."

"That's the spirit," Roger said, and moved past Severus into the driver's seat. Severus climbed into the passenger seat and the motor home pulled onto the road.

"So, who's the girl?" Roger asked, genially enough.

"A friend."

"She is something else."

"More honest words were never spoken."

"Hah, you're alright. Severus, is it?"

"Yes." Severus had learned that the fastest way to end a conversation was to answer the questions as plainly as possible, and this time proved no exception. Roger turned up the radio and began humming along to some ridiculous song about country roads.

The man pulled onto a dirt trail and Abbie and Glenda soon appeared looking bleary eyed. "We're almost there." Roger said, "There are donuts in the bag." He indicated the bag he had brought from the grocery store.

After a series of turns, and many looks at a set of printed instructions, they pulled up to a dingy looking campsite. A man Severus presumed was part ogre approached the side of the motor home. "There are no more parking spots," he said, "Park here and someone will drive you further in."

Roger complied, parking the car in the indicated area. Severus and Abbie gathered their gear and Abbie thanked them for the ride and the food. Roger and Glenda stayed behind to gather what they would need but wished Abbie and Severus well.

They hiked down the road and waited for the aforementioned ride. Abbie slipped a donut into Severus's hand. A dirty blue truck pulled into the parking lot and a crowd of people piled into the back. They looked around at each other like refugees fleeing a hostile country. In a way, maybe they were. Severus perched on the side of the truck and nibbled his breakfast.

A women with long braids looked up from her position on the floor of the bed, "Welcome Home."


	6. Eerie Welcomes

Chapter 6: Eerie Welcomes

The truck dropped them off on the side of the road and headed back to bring in more people. Abbie and Severus joined the group of people heading down a path.

"What kind of place is this?" Severus asked.

"I don't know," Abbie responded, cheerfully.

"I thought you knew something about it."

"We needed somewhere to go. This is somewhere."

Severus was a little unnerved, particularly when he noticed a pair of police handing out pieces of paper. Every single person got a piece of paper. The cop who handed Severus his piece of paper did not look him in the eye, but at his forehead. And he didn't look happy. Severus recognized this as an intimidation tactic used by the cops in Portland. The pigs must speak the same language.

After Severus had passed the police he looked down at the piece of paper:

You are participating in an illegal gathering. Federal law limits groups without permits on Federal land to thirty (30) people or less. A permit can be filed at the Federal courthouse. If you do not leave you will be

"What ever happened to freedom of assembly?" Abbie's stunned voice was little more than a mumble.

Severus didn't say anything. Their welcoming had given him an eerie feeling.

About a half mile from where the police were stationed a makeshift camp was built into a recess of trees. A large fire pit was dug out and several people sat around it. There was a u-shaped counter built out of logs with pots and pans scattered over it and a small fire. One of the men looked up from a pot boiling over the fire and hollered, "Come get somethin' to eat."

A group of people that had been sitting around the fire got up and formed a line at one of the counters and the mixture was ladled into waiting bowls. Severus followed Abbie as she joined the line.

"Hey, how much does this here cost?" She asked the man in front of her.

The man turned around and chuckled. Severus bristled at the condescension the man was showing to Abbie. "Stop laughing and answer the question."

"Hey man, I didn't mean nuthin'. There is no charge at the Rainbow. You just need some bliss, brother." The man held up a metal bowl.

"I am, certainly, not your brother," Severus snapped.

"Where can we get some bliss?" Abbie asked.

"Anything to hold the food will work. Here, wash these up," He pulled a couple of tin cans out of a bag hung on one of the poles. Abbie and Severus went to the buckets of water the man had indicated and cleaned the cans then rejoined the line.

"Man, I'm hungry." Abbie said.

"This is weird. Food for free? It seems rather suspect."

"I think I read about this. It is anarcho-communism. Everybody owns everything. No established governmental body."

A grumpy looking man spooned a thick stew into their bowls and their conversation was ended as they sat in the fire pit and practically inhaled their food. "Maybe I could get used to this."

Abbie laughed, "Now what?"

"We need a water run." One of the men called to the crowd at large.

Abbie got up and sauntered over to the 'kitchen' area. Severus washed the cans out for future use. When he looked around for Abbie he saw her walking back from a wooded area with two jugs of water. She exchanged the full jugs for empty ones and headed back the way she came.

"Hey, brother," one of the men in the kitchen called.

Severus bit back the retort of 'I am not your brother' only because the man had just fed him. "What?"

"That girl said you'd go get firewood."

"I should have known," Severus said and headed into the nearest clump of trees.

By the time Abbie had decided they had done enough work, the sky was starting to darken. "I found a place to camp back in those trees." They laid out their blankets and passed out.


	7. Rainbow Days

*Hi, all. Sorry about the long delay. I have been learning about the law. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. Now I present to you the next chapter.*

Chapter Seven: Rainbow Days

The next morning, Severus woke up and went to find Abbie. She was in the kitchen area pumping the water she had carried the previous day. "Morning, Severus, want some breakfast?" She gestured toward a pot of oatmeal.

Severus ate his fill and then they headed further into the forest to explore. Abbie was excitedly chattering about the people she had been talking to (whom he really didn't care about) and the theory of anarcho-communism (which she seemed to have developed more in her sleep). This girl never ceased her endless barrage of words. Luckily, Severus wasn't much of a talker.

"Let me show you something," Severus was pulled out of his reverie as Abbie attempted to grab his arm. He pulled back suddenly and the girl made no sign of noticing. "You like books, right?"

"I don't know if 'like'... " he began, but she was already bustling onto another path.

Severus reluctantly followed her and was amazed when he cleared a corner and saw a small camp with makeshift shelves full of books. "This is the library. I found it this morning."

Severus cautiously made his way over to the shelf. A woman boiling water looked over at him. "Read whatever you like. Some of the books can be taken, but others are for here only. Their marked."

"Their just here for anybody?" Severus asked, dumbly. How could someone trust their books to others? He thought remorsefully of his books in the castle. What had been done with them? Storage? The trash? Severus shuddered to think of his precious notes being dissolved with a flick of a wand.

"Yeah, do you want some tea?" The lady offered, Severus pulled out his bowl. Tea and books? Was this Heaven?

The next several days, Severus and Abbie would do some chores before Abbie rushed off to explore and Severus retired to the library. He had become fascinated with muggle chemistry and their barbaric medicine. The lady that "ran" the library, Gracie, was a worthy debater. They were in an ongoing discussion about the goodness of mankind.

Abbie and Severus would meet for dinner at their camp before doing the dishes and watching the fire. Severus was just as soon pass up watching the fire, but Abbie loved to be there and there was nothing to do in the tent in the dark. They had received a tent from someone who had to leave for family business. It wasn't a fancy one, but it kept the wind out.

Severus was beginning to feel more relaxed than he had in his whole life. The gentle routine and seeming lack of ulterior motives was refreshing.

One evening, Abbie came back to dinner stumbling a bit. Her eyes were glowing orbs in the distant firelight.

"What have you gotten into?" He asked, disgusted.

"Eye drops full of madness," Was the reply he got. Her mouth was grinning ear to ear and a laugh was constantly on her lips.

"Eye drops?"

"Worked for them. So minty."

"Lets get you back to the tent."

"Nooo," she stamped her foot, "Dinner."

This kid could not finish a sentence. They ate in silence and Severus was relieved when she didn't want to linger at the campfire. Back in the tent he helped her get her boots off. "It's okay, Sevrus. Just let gooo."

"Let go of what?" He snapped.

"Everything. Why'd you flinch? The other day. I won't hurt you. You can tell..." and she fell back onto her sleeping back. "The path. It is twisty."

"That's nice."

"Dizzy!" He helped her outside where she threw up. "The grass moves." She said, whimsically. Severus gave her some water and she went back into the tent to fall asleep.

It was not long after that incident when they met Alan. He was creative enough, but not much foresight. The boy was always building something, or telling some tall tale. One area of his life that was important to him was his dog, Binder. He loved the goofy mutt. The dog never went hungry or cold. Alan gave as good as he had to the dog and was a hard worker. Always gathering something or other for the camp.

To Severus's distaste, Abbie started spending a lot of time with the boy. They would swap tales that had no more truth to them than a goblin had generosity. Abbie and Alan would traipse off further into the gathering, schlepping whatever supplies someone needed help with. Severus tried not to pay attention to the two kids.

One day, Binder wouldn't eat. He started drooling badly and couldn't drink any water. A few people diagnosed the dog with parvo and scolded Alan, saying it would spread to all the other dogs. Alan seemed to become withdrawn. He distanced himself from his dog. "It's not that Alan is mean," Abbie had explained one time, "He just doesn't know what to do."

One night, Binder was sitting around the pit looking forlorn. Abbie and Severus took up their usual spots. The dog walked over to Severus and tried to put his head in his lap. Severus tried to shoo the drooling beast away, but the dog persisted.

The creature was getting thin and was shivering. Feeling sick, Severus relented and allowed the dog to lay with him. He had done a lot of awful things because he had to, but letting this dog die alone seemed so much worse. He subconsciously started to pet the dirty head and softly scratch the dog behind the ears. A tail thumped the ground nearby.

Someone started playing an upbeat drum rhythm and others started dancing, ignoring the dog on deaths door. Severus kept looking down expecting to discover the dog had passed, but met glittering eyes looking up at him. Abbie leaned next to him and whispered, "A utopia isn't a better place, it just ignores all the bad stuff."

Severus felt sick. Watching the party unfold and feeling the drool pool in his lap felt so surreal. Eventually he retired to his tent.

The next morning, by chance a vet came by and performed a cursory exam on Binder. "This dog doesn't have parvo," he announced, chuckling sadly, "Hi jaw is broken." Abbie managed to shove some wet dog food into his mouth and the dog looked like he was feeling much better. That day Alan and Binder hitched into town with vet money collected from the camp and were never seen again.

Abbie seemed a little downtrodden after Alan left. She was getting nauseous. Severus wasn't sure how much longer they could stay in woods with Abbie's health. One morning, when Severus was holding her hair while she threw up, they heard a call of "Six up". The calls grew louder and alternated with "Guns in the Church".

Severus had heard these calls before. Cops had crossed the imaginary line between Rainbowland and Babylon. Abbie cleaned herself up and they headed toward the kitchens to see if there was any breakfast left.

At the kitchen, a cop was smugly passing out flyers. With as many flyers as these guys passed out, they must have chopped down a whole other forest. So why were they fighting over this one?

"You got a fire back there?" A cop asked.

"Go check for yourself," Severus snapped back.

"Your girl looks intoxicated," another pointed out. Abbie was tottering. Severus grabbed her arm to steady her.

"She is fine. Don't you have some donuts to eat?"

"We got a comedian?" a third officer joined the group.

"Don't mess with me or you will see just how funny can be."

"Pal, I think I just heard a threat on an officer." the second one said

"I'm not our pal."

"And if we add that to the refusal to cooperate..." the first one calculated. "and illegal camping."

Severus clamped his mouth shut and by the time they had left he had three summons in his hand.

The Rainbows were being tried together. Severus hitched down to the courthouse. Abbie was sleeping in the tent. She had been getting rather ill. He arrived early and joined a group of others who had been busted for illegal camping. They had to wait in the hot sun. A few people managed to gather under the minimal shade of a fence and a dead tree. The rest crouched in the dried grass as the sun beat down.

Severus had heard storied of the hearings being postponed and people going for hours without water. He hoped they were just Rainbow myths. He could handle the heat and thirst, but some of the group looked rather old. Some of the campers discussed why they had been singled out.

Finally, the courtroom was opened. They were ordered to leave metal items and backpacks on a table and went inside. The hearing was long and drawn out. Severus's charges were widdled down to about $50 and he was ordered out of the forest. He wasn't to sad about that. He could have stayed like some of the others and just hide further into the forest, but he felt it was time to move on. Camping was beginning to take it's toll on Abbie.


	8. Behind Closed Doors

Chapter Eight: Behind Closed Doors

Getting away from the Rainbow Gathering was a lot more difficult than getting there had proven to be. They managed to get a ride into town with a grumpy man going on a grocery run. Getting a ride out of town was a lot more difficult. The town was not very receptive to having a bunch of hippies in the woods. As a result they were less accepting of hitchhikers.

Abbie tottered under her bag, even though it was packed lighter than Severus's bag. She used to be able to carry a much heavier load. Too make matters worse, she threw up on the side of the road. Severus grabbed her and tried to hurry her along, just in case a cop came along.

A filthy car pulled up and a ragged man leaned out of the passenger window. "How far are you going?" The man asked, and when he noticed Abbie "Is she alright?"

"Too much sun," Severus replied, "And we are going as far as we can away from this place."

"Hop on in."

The inside of the car was filthy, but it was much better than the heat outside. The driver was an older man. He looked at them in the rearview window. "Are you coming from the Rainbow?"

"Yes," Severus tried to remain polite. The last thing he wanted was to be thrown out. Abbie was already slumped against the window next to him.

"So are we," The passenger said, "Got the illegal camping ticket."

"We wouldn't have if you had kept your mouth shut. Dallas, dig around in your backpack. Get these folks some water."

The boy handed them a couple of water bottles. "We're going to Montana. I'm Dallas, and this is Roger."

Severus didn't feel much like conversation. Roger seemed to sense this and hushed the his friend. As the ride progressed Severus started to realize that the men were more than just friends. Roger would rub Dallas's leg when he thought Severus wasn't looking, but little escaped the old potions master's eye.

The drive was a long one. There were several stops at rest areas and Roger made sure they had enough to eat. At a rest area he managed to catch Severus alone as they were coming from the lavatories. "Your girl alright?"

"I guess. I'm not a doctor."

"It ain't none of my busisness, but she looks pregnant. My ex-wife looked the same way."

Severus hurried back to the car without saying wasn't sure why this bothered him so much. Their relationship was platonic, and Abbie was definitely old enough to be engaging in certain activities. But there was something unnerving about thinking of her as sexually active. Maybe the old man was wrong. But Severus found himself giving Abbie portions of his meal, just in case.

Montana was beautiful. The roads were a bit worse for the wear, but the trees and mountains made up for it. The land was green and lush. Deer and antelope grazed by the side of the road.

Roger and Dallas were headed to a small town, but agreed to drop Abbie and Severus off in Billings. The city was a bit dingy, but boasted a big population. In Severus's experience, bigger populations were better.

Roger had given Severus the address of a free clinic. He hadn't told Abbie where they were headed. When she saw the building she seemed a bit nervous, but didn't have much energy to protest. The wait was long. A young boy was running around the office screaming. Finally Abbie was called back. She came back out with a mixture of worry and excitement.

"Well," Severus asked.

"I'm pregnant. They say it is probably three months old."

Severus was dumbstruck. "They asked if I wanted an abortion. I just couldn't bring myself to do it." She said, rubbing her belly.

The rest of the day was spent securing lodging. Abbie was quickly placed into subsidized housing. It was an odd feeling walking into an empty apartment with nothing but two backpacks to fill it. Their bowls and spoons looked lonely in the cupboards. There was nowhere to keep their clothes but in a pile on the floor. It was getting late so they spread their sleeping bags on the floor and slept.

The next day Severus looked for a job to afford the place. It was hard, given his lack of papers. A manager at a fast food joint became convinced that his lack of documentation meant he was just released from prison. Severus went with the assumption as it helped him secure a job.

The search for furniture was a lot harder. Abbie had found someone with a truck to help them move in what they could find. Severus briefly wondered ow she always got people to agree to things. The hard part was finding free furniture. The thrift stores refused to part with it for free. Severus wondered how much help the 'charities' actually were. He managed to find a couple chairs and a cracked vinyl table in the garbage. A scrawny man in a beat up blue truck helped him get it home.

Abbie had very little energy. This was aggravated by the fact that they had no food. She had managed to clean a bit of the building's grunge while he had been gone. Severus wished he had been able to find her a bed to sleep on. The apartment wasn't ideal by any means. There was no air conditioning, the water tasted terrible, the toilet flooded constantly, there was no room, and their neighbors were always fighting. Sounds of screaming and slamming could be heard through the thin walls. Sometimes even crying traveled through.

His job was a dreadful experience. He learned quickly. He also discovered that there seemed to be no difference in brain power between the self righteous customers and the employees. The days creaped by until he was finally able to afford some furniture for the house and some food. They had subsided on left overs from the restaurant and a nearby grocery store.

Severus was startled to hear Abbie talking to someone when he came home one day. When he walked in he saw the weirdest looking boy. He had red hair and freckles, was short and round, had one green eye and one blue, and wore filthy clothing.

"Hi Severus, this is Zeke. He lives next door."

"Hi," The boy said quietly. He couldn't have been older than fourteen, but his teeth were already rotting. Severus said nothing, but went to lay down.

Unfortunately, Zeke becam a permanent fixture in the apartment. Abbie would always be talking to him as she cleaned or coked something. She had been feeling better lately and started becoming domestic. Something in her eyes looked like a trapped animal, but she never said anything about it.

One day, she had made sandwiches and was cutting them up. She made an enormous deal about which way to slice them. She thought diagonal would be best, but Zeke wanted vertical. There was a huge discussion about the merits of each method. "Severus, which way do you like your sandwiches cut?"

"Leave me out of this." He was in no mood for this nonsense.

Abbie persisted, "Which way did you mother cut them?"

Maybe it was a combination of the fighting next door, and the stress of work, but visions of a stern woman and an abusive man ran through his head. "Shut up!" Severus shouted and stormed into the bedroom.

He felt bad for exploding. But what a stupid question. His mother never cut sandwiches for him. His mother never made sandwiches at all. She wasn't the type. She preferred to drink. But that wasn't Abbie's fault. Still, Severus never did learn how to apologize.

One day, the fighting got really bad. Abbie begged Severus to go over and make sure no one was in danger. He begrudgingly went over and opened the door. He wasn't expecting the scene that was playing out in front of him. A woman was standing over a man. The man was Severus's age and was crying in fear. His eye was blackening and he had bruises up and down his arms. Zeke was standing in the doorway to the kitchen watching the two of them.

"What is going on in here?" Severus shouted. He was caught off guard. "Zeke, go next door with Abbie." The boy rushed past him and he heard his door slam.

"This is none of your business." The woman growled.

"Stop fighting or I will call the police. I'm sure they would be really interested in your stash over there." He gestured towards the living room, which had clusters of burnt spoons, needles, and other kinds of drug equipment.

The woman looked resigned. "Get out of here," she growled at the man. The man scurried into another room and slammed the door. "Happy?" she asked Severus.

He glared as he shut the door. Back in his apartment Abbie was comforting Zeke. "Is everything alright?" she asked.

Severus grunted and went into his room to lay down. He decided he wouldn't bother the kid for staying at their place.


	9. Hormones

As the months progressed, Abbie seemed to become more frantic. She started making baby clothes from old fabric she had found in dumpsters. Severus had begun insisting they go together so she wouldn't have to lean over the metal ledge. The house began filling up with food of all kinds. Abbie also insisted on having Zeke over constantly. The boy was only to happy to oblige.

Severus found himself discombobulated. He would wonder about her erratic behavior aloud. One day Zeke overheard and replied,"Hormones". But there seemed to be more to it than that. Where did that kid hear this stuff from anyway?

Work remained as tedious as ever. The shift manager was on a power trip and took the preparation of tacos far too seriously. And the kids that worked there turned everything into a sexual innuendo. Severus found himself felling nostalgic for life on the road. And he was sometimes tempted to leave everything behind, but something kept him from going.

When the boy wasn't in school he was helping Abbie make things. Their conversations could be heard throughout the house, and Severus had become quite adept at tuning the out. Abbie insisted that Zeke do his homework. She often stated how she wanted him to get into college. The boy scoffed, but Abbie had it all figured out. First he must travel and find himself, and then he would go to school. She always chattered about how the role of college had changed in the sixties as the result of the Vietnam War. In fact, she was always talking nostalgically of the sixties, as if she had been there.

Severus was partially relieved to have the boy's help around the house. He was putting in more hours and didn't have the time or energy to be there for her. One day Severus came home to find Zeke sitting in the apartment in a state of shock. He looked up as Severus entered the room.

"Where is she?" Severus demanded.

"The h-h-hospital," Zeke stammered, "Margie, the cat lady, took her. There was all this blood."

Severus was out the door before the boy could ask to come along. The hospital was only a few blocks away and Severus ran the whole way there. He arrived breathless. Once he managed to gasp who he was looking for, a nurse led him to the waiting room for labor and delivery.

Margie was there. She looked concerned and out of place. Her dirty night gown contrasted horribly with the cleanliness of the hospital. "She was so pale when I left her. God bless her soul."

"She'll be fine." Severus snapped. Margie left and he began pacing the waiting room. After an hour he gave into his exhaustion and fell asleep. A nurse woke him up.

"Are you Ms. Goldman's husband?"

"Something like that."

"Oh, well, the doctor would like to see you."

"When can I see her?"

The nurse did not answer, merely led him into an empty exam room leaving Severus to wonder why she couldn't tell them who he was. Why did he have to speak to the doctor first. On one level he knew why, but his mind kept directing away from the thought. There was a gentle knock at the door

"Severus?" A pretty female in a lab coat asked.

Severus nodded a bit startled that she knew his name.

"She had you down as the next of kin." She answered as if reading his mind. "We did all we could-"

"Just say it!" Severus exploded. He couldn't stand being here anymore. He wanted to be home. He wanted to be through with all this silliness.

"I'm sorry?"

"Just say it. She's dead. Stop trying to sidestep it. She's dead!" Severus was shouting now. This was too much. And then the rage left. He was left feeling empty. He crumpled into a chair and wished for the anger to come back.

"Sir, please calm down. I can understand that you are in a state of shock but we have the matter of the baby to take care of."

"The baby?" He had completely forgotten.

"Are you married to Ms. Goldman?"

"No."

"Are you the father of the child?"

"No."

"If this is true, you are under no obligation to take the kid. However, if you are interested, you become the child's father once you put your name on the birth certificate."

Severus was in a state of shock, but some part of his brain must have been rational because he felt his mouth ask, "And what happens if I don't take it?"

"We have foster homes."

Severus could not imagine having a child in his apartment. Even after all the childproofing and other adjustments Abbie had done, it had seemed like a game. Now, he had to consider whether the kid would be better off in some random home, or with Severus. If he said 'no' The kid would never know about it's mother.

"Can I see it?"

The creature that he was looking at resembled a worm more than a human. The skin was a deep purple and wrinkled. The arms writhed and the body twisted of their own accord. It was wrapped in a pink blanket. A girl. And when the eyes opened he was fixed with the emerald green of his mother and his first love.

"Ms. Goldman requested that she be named Pandora." The doctor said from the door. "She didn't specify a middle name."

"Lily."

"Will you sign the papers?"

"Yes. Can I hold her?"


	10. New Baby

Severus walked home in a state of shock. He was surprised to see Zeke waiting in his apartment. He had forgotten the boy was there.

"Where is she?"

Severus was quiet. He had no words that conveyed the enormity of what he had been told. He didn't entirely believe it himself. He almost believed Abbie would walk through the door with a big grin on her face at the trick she had played.

"Where is Abbie?" Zeke asked again, a mixture of impatience and worry leaking into his voice.

Severus was starting to see why the doctors danced around the word. "She's dead." The word sounded wrong on his lips as if he had mispronounced it.

"Their wrong," Zeke shouted. Severus had not counted on the weak boy possessing such strong emotions. "There must have been a mistake."

"There is no mistake."

"You're lying!" Zeke shoved him backward into the wall. Severus's head hurt where it had hit the wall. The boy looked terrified as if he expected to be struck back. Severus just stared at him, his head was buzzing with the events of the night. Zeke ran from the room with terror.

Severus was left alone. He climbed into bed and tried to sleep, but his mind kept wandering. Why had this happened? Why did it have to be Abbie? Abbie was so... capable. How many babies were born and the mothers all lived. Oh Merlin, there was a baby. He had forgotten about the little, purple creature that had been so light in his arms.

Then Severus started worrying about going to work the next day. What would he do when the baby was here? His paycheck did not allow anything left over for child care.

He finally drifted off into a fretful sleep where he was plagued by visions of his father. He became his father looking down on himself. Then he was looking down on Zeke, who was transformed into Pandora. Severus awoke in a cold sweat. Was he really cut out for this? Would he be like his dad?

It seemed impossible that he could actually make it to work. Severus found it hard to believe that the busses were still running and the people looked oblivious to what had happened.

Severus was able to work half of the shift before the normality got to him. What was the point? He threw his apron at a coworker who had been nagging him about putting the bun tops on sloppily. He would have to find another job.

There was nothing to do at home, so Severus rode around on the bus. Eventually the bus driver kicked him off and he walked home.

Severus bought a bottle of whisky, the kind Tobias used to drink. He didn't know why. Maybe it would quiet his mind, or allow him to think of something other than Abbie. Maybe some part of him felt that that it would help him be a father.

He was staring at it on the table when a soft knock sounded at the door. "Come in," Severus called.

Zeke came in and closed the door behind him. "I'm sorry."

"I don't care," Severus said, but he hadn't meant it to sound so harsh.

"Are you going to drink that?" His wide eyes fell on the bottle. His voice was hushed.

"I was thinking about it," Severus was scared by the way the boy was looking at the bottle, as if it would bite him. Severus sighed and threw the unopened bottle into the trash.

"I really am sorry. I wasn't thinking." The boy started to leave.

"Wait," Severus called, "It's too quiet in here. If you wanted to stay over you could sleep on the couch."

The boy agreed readily and that night Zeke was sleeping fitfully on the couch. In the morning Severus woke him.

"I have to go to the hospital."

"Wha- Why?" the boy was rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"To get the baby."

Zeke jumped up from the couch. "The baby made it? I want to come."

Severus had forgotten he hadn't told the boy about the baby. "Hurry up and get ready."

They pushed a second hand carriage Abbie had insisted on buying. It squeaked and wobbled when they went over curbs, but it seemed stable enough.

The nursing staff was glad to see them. It was as if they hadn't been expecting him to come back. He had to sign a few papers, and then was handed a bundle of literature. He was glad that he had brought the boy to help carry home the samples the staff presented him with.

After what seemed like forever, the baby was laying in the stroller and they were on their way back to the apartment. Severus sent Zeke ahead to get the crib ready. Severus was glad to get the baby out of the sun and into the apartment. When they laid it in the crib, he couldn't help but watch.

The baby was silent, unlike all the babies Severus had seen in movies and books. The eyes had a "what the hell?" look as Zeke had put it. They stared at everything and comprehended nothing. The arms and legs moved around without purpose. The baby didn't even seem to notice them moving.

Nervously, the men settled down to read the magazines and pamphlets that they had been given.

"The baby doesn't look at all like I was expecting." Zeke broke the silence while thumbing through _Parenting Weekly._

"Hmph," Severus replied. He was looking at formula samples and trying to figure out which one was supposed to be best. He began sorting the papers into piles, when he noticed a folded piece of paper. "What is this?"

"It was on the door," The boy answered, unconcernedly.

"And you didn't feel it was important enough to tell me?"

"I forgot."

Severus grumbled while he unfolded the paper. In bold print at the top of the page was **The Family Medical Leave Act**. Severus read through the paper and sighed. It offered the chance to get off work in family emergencies. At the bottom was irratic handwriting. It said, 'I hope this helps'.

"This was just on the door?"

"Yeah."

"You didn't see anyone?"

"No, what does it say?"

Severus handed him the note and turned back to his formula samples.

"This is a great idea. You should do it." Severus had almost forgotten the boy what the boy was reading.

"I don't qualify."

"Why not?"

"I haven't been working at my job long enough."

"Oh," Zeke looked disappointed. "How are you going to pay for formula? My mom says it is expensive."

"I don't know. Stop asking questions." Severus didn't need Zeke to tell him he was in over his head.

There was a loud cry from the room where the baby was in. Severus was glad to have an excuse to leave.


	11. Custody

Maybe this is the part of the story where it would be fun to tell of how two males didn't know how to take care of a baby. The truth is, Severus knew which end to put the bottle in and figured out how to change a diaper rather quickly. He was just as lost as every new parent, and he felt extremely overwhelmed.

The baby would cry every two hours. Twenty four hours a day. Seven days a week. Severus was grossly under slept. He allowed Zeke to stay over quite frequently. It was soon apparent that the boy was moving in. His things were stowed away in a corner of the baby room. There was an unspoken agreement that Abbie's bed would remain vacant.

One day they simply ran out of room. Zeke needed a dresser and someone had set one in the hall with a big 'free' sign on it. Severus jumped on the opportunity. He was glad he did not have to drag one into the building. Once they got it into the apartment they realized that the only place for it was in the baby's room.

It fit nicely, but it seemed ridiculous to have the kid sleeping on the couch. Severus slowly took the sheets off of Abbie's bed. The fact that she was gone seemed more real as he put on the boy sheets that Zeke had nicked from his mother's apartment. They moved the crib into Severus's room and Zeke had his own room.

From that day forward there was never any pretense of Zeke going home. Severus had always expected one of his parents to come get him, but that never happened.

Once when Severus was returning with a can of formula that he had spent his last six dollars on, he saw Zeke's father leaving the apartment. The frail man was shocked to see him approach.

"My boy is living with you, isn't he?"

"I'm surprised you noticed."

"Tell him I said 'bye'."

"Why don't you do that yourself." He was angered at the man's inability to contact the boy in person. He noticed divorce papers in the man's hand.

"And, here." the man grabbed at Severus's hand. Severus pulled back instinctually and came away with a few crumpled bills. The man hurried away leaving Severus wondering how he had been left with the task of raising one child, much less two.

Zeke was reading a book when Severus went inside. He handed the boy the money. "You're father left." he said in response to his startled expression. Zeke's eyes welled up with tears and he went into his room and slammed the door.

Abbie's sewing machine was becoming a luxury that they couldn't afford. Zeke was upset about it, but the cupboards were bare except for half a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. There was a knock at the door. There was no one there, but there was another paper taped to the door.

WIC was written above an address, phone number, and a list of criteria in the same handwriting as was on the Family Leave Act. Severus looked down the hallway, but there was no sign as to who had left it.

The next day Severus, Zeke, and Pandora were in a small office. There were a number of pleasant ladies bustling around behind a counter. They happily weighed Pandora and asked questions. When they left Severus had a card in his wallet that was good for formula and some essential foods.

He had been directed to the Department of Family Services for Food Stamps. They were rather rude, but they gave him a card worth $360 a month in food. Severus found himself wondering why he hadn't gone earlier. It wasn't pride. There was no pride in letting your children starve.

That afternoon they had a huge shopping trip. Zeke pushed the stroller and Severus filled a cart with everything he could think to eat. He bought Zeke a few treats when he wasn't looking. Severus was also careful to buy a huge supply of formula. If the cards failed, as he had heard horror stories that they would, he would be covered for a month and a half.

Severus's rent funds were depleted and it was obvious it was time to find a job. He scoured the city and learned to convincingly say that he had always dreamed of working at Starbucks/Walmart/Target.

Eventually he found a local delicatessen that would allow him to bake in the morning before they opened and on weekends. The pay wasn't much, but he could bring Pandora with him when they weren't open and Zeke could watch her when he was out of school.

Pandora was growing and was beginning to seem more human. She looked at things and would grab things when you placed them into her hand. Zeke would spend hours on the floor playing with her, and Severus would have to remind him to finish his homework.

The boy brought home C's on his report card. Severus was disappointed with his marks until Zeke brought home a letter from the school. It was addressed to the guardian of Ezekiel Millstone.

_I am writing to inform you that I have been astonished with Zeke's progress. He has become a joy to have in class. This is a refreshing change from his earlier demeanor. Please continue doing whatever it is that you have been doing to bring about such a change in this charming young man._

_Sincerely,_

_Ms. Crenshaw_

Severus reread the letter. Charming? The kid was not unbearable, but that was a far cry from charming. However, he was glad that the boy was getting along better than he had as a child.

When Severus got back from doing laundry one day he was surprised to see the apartment door open. He hurried as much as he could under the heavy backpack. When he got there he saw Zeke's mother pulling on his arm.

"Come on. Your my kid. You do what I say." She gasped, trying desperately to move the boy.

"I need to watch the baby." Zeke was holding onto a chair to resist being dragged out of the room. Pandora was crying on the floor where it looked like she had been playing.

"What is the problem here?" Severus asked, slipping into his house cooly and dropping the backpack of clothes.

"You!" She released Zeke's arm and rounded on him. "Before you got here I had a husband and a son."

"Don't blame me for your violence. Get out of my house." Severus scowled. The woman shot a fierce look, but left without a word. After the door had slammed he turned to Zeke. The boy was rocking the baby. "What got into her?"

"I don't know. She said something about court." He was trying to feed the screaming baby.

Severus tried to put the encounter out of his mind. He was still putting away the laundry when there was a knock at the door. Two police officers were standing there with Zeke's mother behind them. Severus was instantly on guard. He didn't trust police at all after his time on the streets.

"Is this lady's son in here?" said the older of the two. He looked at Severus with a bored expression. He took in his ratted clothes with a raised eyebrow.

"It is laundry day," he said in defense of his outfit, "Zeke is asleep. It's late. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Perhaps we could discuss this inside?" the officer asked.

"I am not letting that woman in my house," Severus said, stepping out into the hallway. He could just imagine Abbie cringing if he let any of them inside.

"So you two had an encounter earlier this evening?" the cop spoke in a bored tone.

"Put down in your report that she entered my property and assaulted Zeke."

The officer raised an eyebrow, "Am I mistaken in believing Assault in defined as an 'unconsented touching'?" and Severus explained the encounter.

When he had finished the officer sighed, "You can get her on trespassing, but he is her child. He needs to stay with her for the night."

"You aren't serious." Severus hated the thought of the boy staying one night in that house.

"I'm sorry. Talk to the court in the morning about a change of custody."

Severus was certain that arguing would do no good. He hated waking Zeke up. He handed him a change of clothes and his school bag. Zeke looked up at him confused.

"The police say you have to go next door."

"No, no, no, no." The boy was yelling. Pandora woke up and let out a cry before falling back asleep.

"Stop! We will work this out in the morning. It is just one night."

"What if she...?"

"Yell for me or call the cops." The retched woman smiled as the boy grudgingly walked out the door. "I'll see you tomorrow." he promised.

Severus couldn't sleep that night. He lay awake thinking about how he could get the boy back. There was a knock on the door early in the morning. Severus was sure it was Zeke. "Come in," he called, but the door remained closed.

He got up and looked outside. A stack of papers lay on the ground. Apparently there were too many papers to tape to the door.

They were court cases. There was also a list of legal services with 'get a lawyer' in handwriting. The cases were highlighted and the more he read, the more heartened he felt. When Zeke came in he showed the boy some of the best parts.

"Who gave you this?" Zeke asked.

"It was on the door." Severus mumbled, continuing to read a case that defined guardianship.

"The lady across from us is a lawyer."

Severus looked up, "Really?" He tried to remember everything about the lady. She was a meek old woman. She always dressed in ratty grey clothes and never spoke a word. Could she be the one who had been helping them?

Severus dropped Zeke off at school on his was to the legal aid office. The waiting room was dingy, there was a small table with some buns and coffee on it. There were several homeless people in the lobby. They were taken back by a friendly, young woman.

A grumpy old man asked them to meet him back in his office. After hearing Severus's explanation, the man looked over the cases that Severus had brought with him.

"This is good. Did you do this?" he asked, gesturing at the papers.

"No, a friend did." Severus set Pandora on the floor.

"And is this one your child?"

"Yes, well, I adopted her after her mother died."

"Good father," The man muttered, as he took notes on a legal pad. "What proof do you have that the boy has been living with you?"

Severus was given a list of things to gather, including the letter from the teacher. The man, Severus learned was a not the actual lawyer. He had to meet with the smiling female he had seen earlier.

"Good afternoon," She said sweetly. She bent down to play with the baby and give her some toys. "I'm Flo Klingly. What brings you to my office."

"Non-parental custody dispute." The man summed up. He explained in more detail, giving emphasis on school performance and the fact that he was the father of Pandora.

"Sounds promising. Anything you would like to add?"

"The father gave me some money to take care of him. And his parents used to fight. A lot."

Klingly's eyebrows raised. "It sounds like you have been doing a wonderful job. We will get together some more information from other witnesses. If you could leave the names of his teachers and sign a form allowing to contact them for their testimony. We won't tell them anymore than we absolutely need to." She paused as if thinking of something else. "Do you feel the boy is in any immediate danger while in her custody? We can get him put into foster care."

"That won't be necessary." Severus said picking up Pandora and handing the lady back her toys. "Thank you."

"We'll be in touch."


	12. Ending

Zeke returned to Severus's apartment. His mother didn't seem to want him unless she needed to appear in court. The boy was becoming rather proficient at cooking, and Severus suspected he was using the old sewing machine as misshapen clothes and pillows were appearing all over the apartment.

Severus filled the time waiting for the lawyer to contact them by reading whatever books Abbie had collected. Most of it was about being black or having long hair in the 1960's. He found one book particularly interesting as it showed how to make bombs, counteract tear gas, and dress for a protest.

Occasionally they would get packets containing paperwork that was being filed, or things that Zeke's mother had written. Severus tried to read these papers when Zeke wasn't home. One day he came home from the grocery store to find Zeke reading papers from a large manila envelope.

"It was a half day," the boy said in answer to Severus's unvoiced question. "This is from the law office." The boy shuffled the papers and removed a pink carbon copy. "This is what my mom said," tears were welling up in his eyes. "she said my dad-" He broke off into sobs. "It's not true"

Severus strode across the room and grabbed the papers out of Zeke's hands. "You weren't supposed to see this," he said, trying to put an apologetic note in his voice, but the words came out angry. He shoved the envelope and papers into his room as if that was supposed to make the boy forget. "People say nasty things in court. Pay it no mind."

The boy was silent, but his crying did seem to calm a bit. After a while he got up from the chair and worked in the kitchen. Severus knew that when Zeke was troubled he made cookies. "Were you and Abbie married?" he asked a bit hesitantly.

"No."

"I don't want to get married."

"Try to be more scientific then that. It is highly illogical to fabricate your views on only two instances."

Later that night, Severus read through the documents. Zeke's mother had made claims that his father had raped her. Severus could not say definitively, but from the noises he had heard, it was quite the opposite. There was a letter written to him, requesting his presence in family court in a few weeks.

Severus was dressed in his best clothes, and he had made sure Zeke dressed up as well. Zeke had the idea that if he appeared filthy and neglected that it would look bad for his mother. Severus wouldn't hear it, saying it would make him look like he was a slob. Klingly approached looking puzzled, "The boy came with you?"

"His mother was not around this morning. Was I mistaken in thinking we could ride the bus together?"

"Oh, no. That is fine. You both look nice. I wish you the best." She said hurriedly before going inside.

Severus and Zeke went to follow her, but Zeke was asked to wait outside. Severus left Pandora with the boy and joined the lawyer at one of the tables.

The room was set up exactly like a courtroom. Zeke's mother was nowhere in sight. At five minutes after, the judge questioned her lawyer, who said that he could not get ahold of her. The judge, a fat old man, decided to continue with the proceedings. Severus recounted all the reasons he could think of why Zeke should live with him. He put particular significance onto his relationship with Pandora. How patient and hardworking he was. How the teachers at the conferences he attended had been so pleased with the change.

Zeke's mother burst into the courtroom twenty minutes late. Her clothes were a mess and when Severus found his seat he caught the whiff of alcohol. It seemed after that the proceedings were a formality. The judge met with Zeke in private and ruled in favor of Severus.

Severus was relieved, but nothing compared to how Zeke was when he heard the news. He yelled and jumped down the stairs and clowned around in front of the court house. Severus didn't warn him to behave. What were they going to do? Take the kid back?

His neighbor, the one he had suspected of leaving the notes, was walking into the building. When she noticed them Severus nodded. She gave a small smile. Zeke, following Severus's gaze, called up the steps. "We won!"

On the ride home, Zeke showed Pandora how to read the Subway map. The toddler looked at the different colors for a while before trying to stuff the pamphlet into her mouth.

Severus stared out the window wondering how he had ended up with two kids. What was more startling was that he had had a say in the matter. If you had told him only five years ago he wouldn't have believed it. It was amazing what time could do to someone.

****************

I don;t know if anyone is reading this story anymore, but I hope it was enjoyable. It went on for much longer than I was expecting, and it was fun to think of new things to happen as I was nodding off to sleep. Thanks for reading.


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